


You Will Soon Be Needed

by AlexMac



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen, I don't really know where I'm going with this, it doesn't even have a plot yet, other tags to be added as I go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 19:45:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5883223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexMac/pseuds/AlexMac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crown Prince Adrien was frequently told he would "soon be needed." Usually, this was code for "your mother is on her deathbed and you're the heir, so pay attention." Apparently, however, the kwami had something else in mind. Working with the Ladybug, protector of the realm, was much more immediate, and much more exciting, than anything the royal advisers could possibly be talking to him about.</p><p>-- Currently abandoned</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Will Soon Be Needed

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [these designs](http://sorarts.tumblr.com/post/132618584150/medieval-warrior-ladybug-and-thief-chat-noir) by sorarts on tumblr!

This was the very definition of "not good." 

He had been caught stealing from Prince Adrien's safe red-handed (well, black-gloved) by the Ladybug, and he was definitely going to catch hell because there was no way he could beat her. Maybe he could reason with her, he hoped, once she forced him to reveal his identity. Well, he'd have time to worry about it later. Now was the time to figure out if he could get the drop on her. 

The parapet. Perfect. 

He turned the corner and climbed the wall as quickly as he could. The Ladybug moved cautiously, her broadsword held downward, her armor not clicking. He had to admit, she was quite good at stealth, even with her outfit. Too bad for her he was just a smidge better, for his lack of heavy protective gear and his dark clothing. As she approached the corner, he jumped, and knocked her to the ground. They sprawled, perpendicular, on the grass of the aft yard. She dropped her sword, but as he attempted to rise to his hands and knees, she grabbed his left forearm and twisted, and Jesus did it hurt. So, with his right foot, he kicked her in the ankle. Repeatedly. When she began to speak, however, he stopped. 

"Look, I don't want to do any lasting harm to you, all right? I just want to talk to you. Please," the Ladybug said, with the voice of an angel. She released his arm, and he sprung up into a squat as she brought her torso up to sit, and crossed her legs. "You're the one they call the Chat Noir, are you not?" She waited, huge blue eyes staring at him through her visor, face held blank. He nodded quickly and stood. 

"At your service, my Lady," he said, as roguishly as he could, doing a flamboyant bard's bow. 

"Sure." Her expression did not change, but her voice betrayed her amusement. "Listen, I have a warning and a proposition. The warning is that you've been noticed, more than once, entering the Crown Prince's personal quarters and the Crown Prince hasn't said a word about you. I don't know why and I don't want to. The proposition is... well. I could use a helping hand, and I suspect that you have the same transformative powers I do. I've been watching you for a while and there's little other explanation." His eyes grew wide. When Plagg said he would soon be needed, he didn't think it was to help the Ladybug protect the realm. He hadn't thought about it much at all, really, since counselors and advisors said the same thing to him on a near-daily basis. It was code for "when your mother dies," which he didn't really want to think about. This was much more immediate, and much more exciting. 

Especially since the Ladybug was even more gorgeous than he'd ever anticipated in his wildest dreams. 

"Of course. My kwami told me this day would soon come. I just hadn't thought it would involve such a dashing knight in shining armor. Perhaps you would like me to steal you a white horse?" he asked with a wink. He had no idea how he was keeping his cool. He was reasonably sure he was babbling a bit, actually, so he shut up and offered her his hand. She took it, and soon he saw that he was actually nearly a head taller than her. Imagine, taller than the hero of the realm! And she had such beautiful blue-black hair.... 

"Heavens no! You can keep redistributing nobles' wealth if you wish, heaven knows they've enough of it, but I have two conditions if we're to work together. Condition one, you leave Prince Adrien out of it. He's starting to look very suspicious to certain members of the court and that's the very last thing either of us needs. Condition two, our secret identities are just that – secrets. There's no reason for us to know any more about each others' lives than we need to. Clear?" 

"Crystal. I have my own condition as well, however. My condition is that you must laugh at my jokes. Nobody else does." To his surprise, the very serious set of her mouth almost instantly cracks into a wide grin. 

"Can do." 

With a handshake, they become partners. As he watches her walk away, he sighs to himself. He thought, based on the rumors about her in court, that the Ladybug would be radically different. Having been proven wrong, he was quite sure he liked her and would enjoy working with her. Maybe enjoy it a bit more than he really should. He was a prince, after all, and had a realm to look after. 

\--- 

Marinette rose an hour before dawn, as usual, to lend her parents a hand before leaving to the palace. Her mother and father were bakers by trade, and her best friend Alya was their apprentice. As the sun rose, they broke their fast in the flat above the bakery. 

"So, Marinette, any juicy gossip from the palace?" Alya asked. "You didn't tell me anything last night!" 

"Well, there's really not much I want to talk about, Alya. Duchess Chloé tripped some poor viscountess and that's all anyone really cares about at the moment, and it has nothing to do with my work." Marinette shrugged as she reached for another croissant. "What about the shop? Has that boy come in for bread again?" Alya's ears turned red. 

"N-no. I don't know what you're talking about." 

"So what Rose said about you having a well-dressed suitor is true? And here I thought he just really liked Papa's bread! Alya, how could you hide this from me?" Marinette waved her arms about dramatically, faking a swoon as her parents chuckled. 

"Be nice to each other, children," Sabine scolded as she and Tom got up from the table, laughing. "Alya, we're opening up shop in 10 minutes." 

"Yes madam!" Alya said. She and Marinette finished their breakfast quickly and washed off the dishes. Marinette ran back upstairs to change into her working outfit, and left for the palace quickly, waving at her family and friend as she left. It was a beautiful day in Paris, and she was going to enjoy the walk. 

\-- 

Adrien woke half an hour past dawn, as the sun's light filled his room. He rose quickly, dressed himself, and waited for his body servant, Nino, to appear for work. Despite all his position as crown prince, or perhaps because of it, he rarely was able to talk to people his own age, and he relished Nino's company. He considered him to be as much a friend as he'd ever had, and hoped that Nino saw him the same way.  
Nino was a few minutes late, but Adrien didn't really mind. It gave him just enough time to finish his chapter before setting aside his novel. Besides, when Nino was late, it usually meant he had gone to the boulangerie in the square, and that meant he'd seen the girl he insisted he hadn't a crush on. An incredibly unprincely smirk crossed his face when he saw the bread. 

"Nino!" he cried in greeting as he crossed the room, slinging his arm around his friend's shoulders when he reached him. "I see you've brought me food! You really shouldn't have." He made to grab the loaf in jest, and they both laughed as Nino held it away. Once they'd had their fun, they sat at the table in his parlor and split it, plain and freshly baked and, therefore, delicious. Almost as delicious as the opportunity presented to hear more about the girl Nino decidedly had not been seeing. 

"So, Nino, what's her name?" he asked conversationally, between bites. 

"Alya Cés -- wait, no fair! You caught me off guard." 

"Alya? Sounds pretty. She really must be, for you to go the opposite direction you need to every single morning you can get away with it." Nino's cheeks started to turn red, and Adrien's trademark charming smile glinted with something restless. "Seriously, tell me about her. I want to know. You know I want to know what it's like to be you; it's only fair. And I can't support you in things I don't know about." 

Nino smiled back, wondering what made him so lucky that he got someone like Adrien – who requested not to be called Prince in private – to be one of his closest friends. With a lovesick grin, he began to sing her praises, and Adrien listened to every single one.


End file.
